Report: New Arista Silver Artist paper liths!

[Mark Fisher]

I'm seriously excited. Just received the new Arista Silver Artist Series paper. It uses Rives BFK paper (a beautiful paper in its own right) and Fotokemika Varycon emulsion. I tried lith first and it is a pretty remarkable paper for lith. Warm, pinky highlights and cooler shadows. I never liked Varycon paper for lith as I didn't get the shadows I wanted....I am certainly getting a "convincing black" here. It could be that on the matte artpaper, I am happy with a lower Dmax. Either way it is really beautiful. I should note that being a textured art paper, the scanning is less than great so the actual print has a bit more contrast than shown.

 

[zsas]

Mark - Wonderful print!!! I can't wait to print on this! The blacks look stellar!

 

[Andrew Moxom]

Cool stuff Mark. I ordered some of the white version of this, this week.

 

[padraigm]

http://www.flickr.com/photos/padraigmerr/7114667211/sizes/c/in/photostream/
Agree, interesting paper. I like it, seems it might be a close knockoff of Ilfords Art 300. I actually liked it a lot with just a regular print and I don't usually like matte. It is hard to get a good scan of the print, much better in person. I have not toned it yet so will be interested in how it reacts to that.

 

[Dan Henderson]

Mark: how much texture does this paper have? As much as the old Foma Chamois Matte, or less like the new stuff?

 

[Mark Fisher]

I haven't seen those older papers, but BFK is a printing paper that many people use for platinum or other processes. I haven;t see the Ilford paper, but this material was definitely coated at Fotokemika using BFK paper. BFK is a cold pressed paper. It feels a lot like a Pt print to me.

 

[jamin]

What developer/dilution did you use?

 

[kunihiko]

I'm looking forward to receive one of those box. Com'on Fedex, hurry up. I can't wait!

 

[Mark Fisher]

Jamin - I don't vary much on developer....Rollei Vintage 1:1:50 plus about 33% old brown developed at about 80-90F. I'm anxious to try it for regular printing.

 

[MaximusM3]

FWIW...not like ART300, as it doesn't have that sheen that I frankly find a bit annoying in most lighting/viewing conditions. So, in that regards, I prefer this Arista paper. As far as lith, well, I was unmoved. In Moersch SE5, next to a regular print, I almost could not tell them apart. Good blacks, but not very exciting. In LD20, had problems with measles and peppercorn and again, did not like it much. Yes, it is very similar to Varycon in its response but not quite the same. As far as I am concerned, it makes for a great choice for regular printing, if one is looking for a nice, weighty, textured matte paper. For lith...not for me, I think.

 

[Bob Carnie]

The sheen you mention on Art300 seems to go away completely under glass. The weight of this paper is magnificent for murals.
Its funny how in different darkrooms some get effects that are really nice and others find them not so nice, I think that is what's so great about what we do in a darkroom.. Everyone brings a different look .
For years I wanted to use a nice matt paper , but every time I purchased the Agfa Fine Grain Matt there were major issues. When it worked it was great but in my darkroom I could not afford working with suspect papers... I never liked the Ilford Warmtone matt paper , it really had a stippling that bothered me. Now the Art 300 is one of my favourites.
Its really great that we have choices these days, I just wish I had enough dough to buy and test every paper and then stock them all... mmm maybe a retirement idea.
anyone have a big walking fridge system they want to get rid of ?

FWIW...not like ART300, as it doesn't have that sheen that I frankly find a bit annoying in most lighting/viewing conditions. So, in that regards, I prefer this Arista paper. As far as lith, well, I was unmoved. In Moersch SE5, next to a regular print, I almost could not tell them apart. Good blacks, but not very exciting. In LD20, had problems with measles and peppercorn and again, did not like it much. Yes, it is very similar to Varycon in its response but not quite the same. As far as I am concerned, it makes for a great choice for regular printing, if one is looking for a nice, weighty, textured matte paper. For lith...not for me, I think.

 

[MaximusM3]

The sheen you mention on Art300 seems to go away completely under glass. The weight of this paper is magnificent for murals.
Its funny how in different darkrooms some get effects that are really nice and others find them not so nice, I think that is what's so great about what we do in a darkroom.. Everyone brings a different look .
For years I wanted to use a nice matt paper , but every time I purchased the Agfa Fine Grain Matt there were major issues. When it worked it was great but in my darkroom I could not afford working with suspect papers... I never liked the Ilford Warmtone matt paper , it really had a stippling that bothered me. Now the Art 300 is one of my favourites.
Its really great that we have choices these days, I just wish I had enough dough to buy and test every paper and then stock them all... mmm maybe a retirement idea.
anyone have a big walking fridge system they want to get rid of ?

Certainly agree Bob...how boring would this world be if we were all the same?
As far as the sheen, well, I use non glare, UV acrylic and I'm still not loving it. Have not tried plain old glass though. I really want to love the paper, which I think it is fantastic aside from this annoying (to me) quirk. Lower contrast or images with real deep and featureless blacks are ok but every image with deep shadows and good detail, seems to fall a bit flat. Or maybe I'm going blind ...and of course I'm not Master Bob Carnie either